Carton



June 28, 1960 R. N. Elcl-goRN CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1957 INVBNTOR Robe/*f N. Efe/70m BY I June 28, 1960 R. N. EICHORN CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 20, 1957 1l bm y INVENTOR Rober! /V. Efo/70m BY j '57 ATTORNEYS June 28, 1960 R. N. EICHORN 2,942,770

CARTON Filed Dec. 20, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Rober! N. E/'chom ATTORNEYS United States Patent O f' CARTON Robert N. Eich'orn, Endicott, N.Y., assigner to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, NzY., a corporation of 'N ew York Filed mazo, 1957, ser. No. 704,173

s claims. (C1. 229-33) This invention relates to improvements, incartons and more particularly to a variable length carton foldable from a one-piece blank adapted for retaining articles such as tabulating cards for card controlled business machines and the like.

Tabulating cards, or record cards as they are sometimes called, must be carefully packaged for shipment andi storage inV order to prevent damage to the cards in which case they would not be useful in operating the controlled machine.

Previous attempts have been made to provide an adequate carton for packaging these cards but theseV previous attempts have been rather unsuccessful and unsatisfactory. The paper stock used in the manufacture of tabulating cards is generally allowed' to vary in thickness within certain tolerance limits and it is necessary to accommodate this variation in card' thickness where a predetermined number of cards are to be packed within a. carton. For example, if an acceptable tolerance is plus or minus 0.0004 inch and it is desired to have 2000 cards in all cartons, it is necessaryv to provide a carton which can vaccommodate the variance in length which would occur with the tolerances indicated (0.8 inch) in order to compactly contain the predetermined number of cards.

One solution to this problem would be to provide a carton having a capacity to contain a predetermined numberrof cards of the maximum tolerable thickness. Any variation below this maximum capacity could be accommodated by either putting in more cards or by filling up the void space with shim means. in either event, whether the carton is iilled with extra cards or with shim means, the operation would be quite costly.

Another solutionV to the problem would be to provide a variable capacity carton, the capacity -being varied by varying the length of the carton. In applicants cepending application Serial No. 656,022, led April 30, 1957, there is disclosed a two-piece variable length carton for packing a predetermined number of record cards of varying thickness. in which one of the two pieces is electively attached to the other at varying points. However, this two piece carton, while solving the problem of variable length,V requires two separate blanks which must be assembled in the variable length positions and it is more complex than the improved one-piece variable length car ton of this invention.

Hence, it is a principal object of this -invention to pro vide a one-piece variable length carton for retaining a stack of a predetermined number of articles, such as tabulating cards, which may have varying thickness.

Another object of this invention -is to provide a variable capacity carton constructed from a one-piece blank which is easily and quickly assembled for filling and closure.

The requirements of a carton for packaging tabulating cards may diifer depending on whether the cards are be- Y ing shipped in the container or being retained in the container for iile purposes. While the cards are being r' 2,942,770 Ice lPatented June 28, 1960 shipped in the container, accessability to the cards is of little importance and protection of the cards from damage is of major importance. When the carton isv being held as a le, accessability of the cards is of highest importance as -Well as protecting cards from damage. Accordingly, it is a still'further object of this invention to provide a one-piece variable length container which gives maximum protection to the articles contained therein during shipment .and provides easy accessability to the articles during storage. In other words, it is an-obj'ect of this invention to provide a variable capacity carton which can be readily packed and folded to :any number of differentlengthsand can subsequently be used for storage andlepnrposes.

With these andl other objects in view, the variable length one-piece carton of this invention contemplates providing a single blank foldable into a tray section having side walls and end walls'. This tray section is adapted to contain the predetermined number of record cards packed 4 therein. The blank also has an integral cover extension hingedly connected to the tray portion of the blank for providing a lid for the packaged cards. The hinged connection betweenV the tray and the cover extension is of novel construction'so that the cover extension maybe hinged from a number of separate pointsv on the end of the tray to provide the variable length of the tray and therefore'ofthe'covered carton.

Other objects `and advantages of this invention will be yapparent from the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the carton ofthis invention folded to its maximum length.

Fig. 2 is. a perspective view of the carton folded to its maximum length with itsi cover raised showing the record cards contained therein.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the carton folded to its minimum length, with the shadow lines showing the carton folded to its maximum length.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the carton partially folded to its maximum length.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to a portion of Fig. 4 showing the carton being folded to its minimum length.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6 6 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 is a plan view lof the one-piece blank used. in forming the carton.

Fig. 8 is a side sectional view of the carton foldedl to its minimum length.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the carton folded to a length intermediate the maximum and minimum lengths.

Referring to the drawings, the variable length carton comprises generally a tray portion 10, land integrali cover extension 12 hingedl to the tray portion by novel hinge means 14.

The carton may be constructed from a single blank 16 as shown in Figure 7. 'Ihis blank is preferably scored longitudinally at 18 Iandl 20' to provide upwardly foldable side walls 22 and 24 on each side of a bottom panel 26.

The blank: I6 is` crushed between lines 27, 28l and line 28' is heavily scored' to insure that `a front end wall 30 will be folded therealong; The front end wall has a score line 32 and a score line 34 providing an endV wall extension panelz 36. This panel is scored at 3% and 4i) to provide end wall locking ears 42' and`144.

AV suitable pull tab- 45T-:titty be'createdin theend'f wall 30 by a pair of cut portions4-3. 'l

The front end wall 30`V is divided from the side panels by longitudinal cuts- 46 and 4S and transverse? cuts 50 and* 52'. These transverse cutsfprovidev shoulders 54an`d Siv the front end carton in its Y'assembled position, as shown in Fig; 8. Suitable transverse score lines 58 and 60 s'ub-V 4stantially coextensive with the crushed areal provide hingedjside wall apsf 62 and 64 'at'the front endeof the 'side walls 22 an'd24.V VThis entire front endV construction ,substantialli ,identical with theV end construction idescribed in applicatifs` copendring` applicationfdr a two'- piece variable Vlength carton and reference may bei-'had thereto for a more detailed description. i. Si T "-5 'I'he Vsidewalls are Yalso provided with endaps66 and '68 at the rearendsrthereof. These flaps are provided' with on locking'ears d2 and 44 for the purpose of locking I YinrFig. 4. Inthis case, the side wall flaps V66 and 68 are f VYfolded condition, according t'othe length of the carton,

jtiansversescore lines 67 and '69 dividing the flaps fromithe A l The Yintegral cover extension `center panel 70 having longitudinal score lines 72, 74;alon g the ledges thereof providingY sidewalls 76 and 78;'7Corner aps orVV ear portions A80 and 82 are hingredly'coniiected V to the end Vofthe side vwalls nearestthe hinge inensf`14 at the transverse score lines -84and 85.V AThese ps 80 and 82,1as -will be explained hereinaftenfunctin aslockwhenthe cover 12is closed."V A, i

The integral hinge sectionof theblank joining the body panel 26 to the central cover panel 70/is 'divided by 'sevi ing ears'for holding the back end'of thecarton together eral transverse score lines, of -whichfou lines 8,6,"87,l 88 and 89 are shown in the illustrated embodiment. t Score lines Y86 and 88 provide the hinge means when the cover extension is folded toprovide a minimum length tray, and score lines 87 and 89 provide Ythehinge means` when the cover Vextension is folded to'provide aimaximum length tray. Theside flaps 66 andY 68 have'transverse score lines 90 and 91 Vtherein substantially coextensive with Vscore line 87 which is the base score line of the maX- imum length tray. However, score lines 90 and 91-are set inwardly from score line 87 ardistancefequal tothe thickness of the stock of the blank 16. vScore lines-90 'and 91 form [the fold line for the aps 66 .andV `68 instead of lines 67 and 69 when the blank is folded to its. maximumlength.

' Y; The side flaps 66 and 68 are separated from the hinge portion by longitudinal cut lines 92 and 93." 'Ihecorner aps or ears 80 and 82 of the cover sides 76 and ,78 are `also separated from the hinge portion by klongitudinal cut lines 94 and 95. The cover side wall corner flaps 80 and Y82 and the tray sidewall corner ilaps 66 4and 68 are separated from each other by cuts 96 andy 97.` f

theyfunction to hold vthecndilapst and 68V andlthe hinge portion 14 ofthe cartontogethei when the cover 12 is closed.V The aps 80A and 82 valso'arereferred to hereinas"lockingears.Y` i

ToY preventfdistortion of the end-cards'by'the aps 66 Y and 68, Fig. 4, a card-size pad of, corrugated material (not shown, made from the same stock as the carton blank, may be interposed between these flaps andthe end card of the stack. 'Y Y I.fWhen the length'of theirstack'ofy apredetermiiiedf num- `rber of cards is in between themaximumjand limits,the carton is folded in the inannergset-:out above butrinstead of foldingfon the Ymaxirnumfor minimum hinge lines the folds are made at linesbetween the maximumY and hinge lineslat a pointgcorres'ponding to l 25 i v i the length'of the stack of cards inthe carton. fi

' A11 important feature of the invention istheprovision of the slits V9.4 and 95, Fig. 7, whichV enables theearfportions 80 and 82 to be folded back anywherepalong'the length of these two slits. In conjunction withfthis, of course, the flap portions 66vandV 68 may'befolded any- YWhere along the length1of'therslits92 and 93 between-the maximum and minirnumflines,flf "ig.` 7. y Hence, anyinter mediate-length stack can be accommodated by; (1); folding the flap portion166 aroundthe end` of thestack, the Yfold being made somewherebetween the'fvlinesr67 and 90,V (2) similarly folding the ilap portion 68 jsomewhere between the lines 69 and 91, (3) folding the bottom panel 26 at 4therproper place between' the lines 86 andY 87,` (4) folding the top panel wherever-necessary betweenY the portion 82 back at the necessary intermediate position When preparing a carton for filling, the side walls' 22 and 24 of the blank may be folded upwardly and their end flaps 62', 64`folded inwardly, asrshownin Fig. 4. Front end wall 30 is folded upwardly andthe extension 36`s'foldable 90 inwardly to a position parallel with'the top of the side walls, after the locking ears 42 and 44 of the extension 36-have beenfolded inwardly 90. `The shoulders 54 and 56 of the ears 42 and 44 provide a locking means for locking the 'front end of the carton in vits erected position. For a more detailed description `of between the line 85Vand cut edge 97 toY give the requisite ubinding or locking yaction when the carton isv assembled. il?. cagrton folded to an intermediate length -isv shown in a The closure of the carton mayfbe aided bya machine which may sense the end ofY the card stack containinga predetermined number of cards and fold the blank at the proper place, which may be anyplace in lbetween the maximum and minimum limit fold lines depending on .the length ofthestackofthecards. f-

The carton may belutilized for'storagelor le purposes and in this instance the pull Vvtab 45 may b'eusedasfa Y handle to pull the carton from its Ystorage ,space-1 the erection ofcthis end of the carton,rreference may be Y had tov applicants Acopending applicationvmentioned previously;

The cards arerplacedrc'ompactly in the 'carton `starting the Vfilling at *end 30 `and extending toward the 'rear end.

'IfV the thickness of `the predeterminedjnumberofca rds is at'the minimum tolerance Vlimits the cartonrmustbe folded to its length to Acompactlyhold `the cards. This minimumlength fold is-shownin' Fig. 15

Y -Wherein the side wallilaps 66k and 68 are foldable in- :wardly toward each other -along score lines-67janfd 69.

The cover extension isrfoldable about score lines 86-and 88 and the cover extensioncorner aps 80 and 82 are not in theV carton are of Vmaximuml tolerance thickness, the carton must be folded to yits' length as; shown After the carton Ahas beenemptiedoffits, cards', one

minimum length (-Figs.5 -and 8) soithat'the .cover` panel Y will extend `the entire length of the carton.fAt,the

front end of the carton, instead of having the panel 3 ,6

(Figs.- l and 2) extendingoverandfpartiallybbscuring the contents, one may fold theslocking earsgfuand' 4Min against the extension 36 fand then fold this panelaround the flaps 62.and 64 toholdthemagainstfthlewall 30.

This prevents ther-frontfofrthecarton from'g unfolding vwhen it does nothave'the'locking acton'oftheca'rd stack and the cover to hold itin place,'asfit wmlld nhg-@al use. Y 7..

yThe score lines 90-91and 67,--,69V located 'on.1aps

Y, 66 and L68. may. also serve as indicating means Afor Athe height or vlengt-h of therstackof cards. Incase the .length 9i -r .Stack of a predetermined 'number4 of 1reco'rdcards exallowable thickness, and if the length of the stack of cards does not extend to score lines 67-69 the cards are less than the minimum allowable thickness.

In practice, one may wish to provide the carton blank with only the minimum-length score lines, omitting the maximum-length score lines 84, S5, 87, 89, 90 and 91, Fig. 7. This is shown in Fig. 9 and is Within the contemplated scope of the invention, the important feature of which is the provision of the slits 92, 93, 94 and 95 which are suitably disposed -to permit folding the carton blank selectively throughout a range of effective lengths from minimum to maximum.

Applicant has shown and described a preferred embodiment of a variable length one-piece carton for packaging record cards and the like. The embodiment disclosed was for the purpose of illustration only and one skilled in the art may see variations which may be utilized. Therefore, applicants invention is not limited by the disclosed embodiment but only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims wherein he is entitled to a reasonable range of equivalents.

I claim:

1. A variable length one-piece carton for a predetermined number of stacked card-like articles, such as tabulating cards, which may vary in thickness to cause variations in the length of the stack, the carton comprising a blank scored and cut to provide: a bottom panel, an end wall, a pair of side walls, a cover extension having a hinge portion connected with said bottom panel at the end thereof opposite said end wall and also having side portions adapted to iit inside said side walls when the carton is closed, and end aps foldably connected to said side walls at the ends thereof nearest said hinge portion, said cover extension side portions terminating at their ends nearest said end aps in locking ears for holding said end flaps and said hinge portion together when the carton is closed, each of said locking ears being constituted and arranged so that when the blank is at said ear adjoins a part of said hinge portion but is separate from said hinge portion longitudinally of the carton -blank for a distance commensurate with the range of variation in the length of the carton, whereby each locking ear is individually foldable against its respective cover extension side portions; said end aps, hinge portion and locking ears being foldable selectively at any of a multiplicity of interrelated positions to provide variable length iiaps, locking ears, bottom panel, cover extension and therefore a variable length carton to accommodate the variations in the length of the card stack enclosed thereby.

2. A carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge portion is selectably foldable on any of a multiplicity of pairs of spaced lines, each pair corresponding to a particular length of carton, said end flaps being foldable on a line substantially coextensive with the first line of the selected pair of lines, and said locking ears being foldable on a line substantially coextensive with the second line ofthe selected pair of lines Whenever the length l of the carton exceeds a predetermined minimum length.

3. A carton as dened in claim 2 wherein said locking ears are adapted to perform their function of holding said end flaps `and hinge portion together while in an unfolded condition relative to their respective cover extension side portions when the carton blank is folded to provide a carton of said predetermined minimum length.

4. A variable-length carton adapted to be assembled from a one-piece blank comprising the following portions: a tray having a variable-length bottom panel, two side walls and an end wall; a cover extension member having a variable-length cover panel and two side walls, the latter being respectively adapted to t inside said tray side walls when the carton is assembled; and an intermediate hinge portion connecting said tray bottom panel to said cover panel at the end of said tray opposite said end Wall; said hinge portion being foldable at variable points to deiine variably positioned edge boundaries for said bottom panel and said cover panel according to the variable length of the carton, said tray side walls having integral end ap portions respectively juxtaposed to but separate from said yhinge portionA when the carton blank is at and each being foldable at variable points commensurate with ythe location of said bottom panel edge boundary when the carton is assembled, and said cover side walls having integral locking ear portions respectively juxtaposed to but separate from said hinge portion when the carton blank is at and each being foldable at any variable point commensurate with the location of said cover panel edge boundary when the carton is assembled to hold said end aps and said hinge portion together.

5. A variable length carton as defined in claim 4 Wherein said hinge portion initially has uniform resistance to bending throughout an area thereof Where said variable fold points are located.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,673 Jones June 27, 1933 1,916,045 Freymann June 27, 1933 2,037,839 Wagenseller Apr. 21, 1936 2,043,419 Robinson Iune 9, 1936 2,493,176 Whitehead Jan. 3, D 2,844,295 Williams July 22, 1958 

